Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via SR-14 North and I-405 North, usually 51 at this time.

Only 21% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Van Nuys to Palmdale by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	45	45	44	47	49	51	53	51	57	52	54	53	53	51	48	47
Tue	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	48	50	52	54	59	51	50	48
Wed	45	44	45	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	48	49	48	54	48	47	44
Thu	45	45	46	48	49	50	50	51	52	51	59	69	67	59	59	53	46
Fri	46	46	45	46	46	52	56	56	59	58	57	60	60	58	58	54	48
Sat	46	45	45	46	46	48	56	60	53	56	51	49	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	44	44	44	45	46	53	61	71	73	73	60	48	45	46	47	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale (via SR-14 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (74 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (9 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys to central Palmdale along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 43 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (26 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (9 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Van Nuys (return trip) · Van Nuys to Los Angeles · Van Nuys to Santa Monica · Van Nuys to Pasadena · Van Nuys to Long Beach · Van Nuys to West Covina · Van Nuys to Glendale · Van Nuys to Santa Clarita · Van Nuys to Torrance · Van Nuys to LAX · Van Nuys to Culver City · Van Nuys to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	45	45	44	47	49	51	53	51	57	52	54	53	53	51	48	47
Tue	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	48	50	52	54	59	51	50	48
Wed	45	44	45	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	48	49	48	54	48	47	44
Thu	45	45	46	48	49	50	50	51	52	51	59	69	67	59	59	53	46
Fri	46	46	45	46	46	52	56	56	59	58	57	60	60	58	58	54	48
Sat	46	45	45	46	46	48	56	60	53	56	51	49	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	44	44	44	45	46	53	61	71	73	73	60	48	45	46	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	45	45	44	47	49	51	53	51	57	52	54	53	53	51	48	47
Tue	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	48	50	52	54	59	51	50	48
Wed	45	44	45	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	48	49	48	54	48	47	44
Thu	45	45	46	48	49	50	50	51	52	51	59	69	67	59	59	53	46
Fri	46	46	45	46	46	52	56	56	59	58	57	60	60	58	58	54	48
Sat	46	45	45	46	46	48	56	60	53	56	51	49	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	44	44	44	45	46	53	61	71	73	73	60	48	45	46	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	45	45	44	47	49	51	53	51	57	52	54	53	53	51	48	47
Tue	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	47	48	48	50	52	54	59	51	50	48
Wed	45	44	45	45	45	46	45	46	47	47	48	49	48	54	48	47	44
Thu	45	45	46	48	49	50	50	51	52	51	59	69	67	59	59	53	46
Fri	46	46	45	46	46	52	56	56	59	58	57	60	60	58	58	54	48
Sat	46	45	45	46	46	48	56	60	53	56	51	49	49	46	46	48	45
Sun	45	44	44	44	45	46	53	61	71	73	73	60	48	45	46	47	46